


Don’t Bring the War Home

by TeaEarlGreyHot (xmencomicsmarvel)



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dukat is an asshole, Graphic Violence, M/M, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tain is his own warning, just less of an asshole here, star trek has ruined my life and this is the result, the tags will be added to as more things come up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:24:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7901320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xmencomicsmarvel/pseuds/TeaEarlGreyHot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kira, O'Brian, Odo and Julian are thrown into another universe, getting trapped there for an unknown length of time. Just when it looks like things can't get any worse, they find out that this world is very different from their own.</p><p>Meanwhile, Gul Dukat, second in command to Captain Sisko, has enough to worry about without having to deal with three missing officers and four new problems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Friend or Foe

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure where this will lead, but I'm enjoying writing what I can. :)
> 
> The start of this chapter is based on a Star Trek book I read called Day of the Vipers, which I fully recommend!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a prologue, with more coming soon

2328 (Terran Calendar)

Occupation Day Zero 

 

> The priest’s hands rested on the handle that controlled the window’s nyawood shutters.

A firm twist of the man’s wrist would be all it would take to shut out the darkening sky outside. Yet, something within him forced him to keep the window open, if only for just a few more moments.

He allowed himself to peer onto the streets below the walls of Naghai Keep. The smoke made his eyes burn and his throat constrict. It made the fire that burned inside of his own humble room feel cold by comparison.

He supposed that here he was safe, but safety was a rather naive concept, wasn’t it?

Gar Osen was safer, perhaps, closed within these high walls than most of the people below, but that was only for was long as these walls stood as firm and resolute as the people’s faith. A bitter smile met his lips as he wondered whether even that would outlive him. Times were no longer what they were and the era of peace was over, he feared for good.

Looking outside again, Gar Osen was forced to see that behind the walls and ornamental public gardens, the city of Korto seemed alight, the billowing clouds it produced blocking out the sky above.

He allowed himself to imagine, for a moment, that he could see what was down there first hand. He could see the heavy machines, or the chains that rattled as people were pulled along to parts unknown. He could hear body after body thumping to the floor, the glint of armour shining in the eyes of every man, woman and child present, almost blinding them. Just over the city machines worked tirelessly onwards to meet goals the priest would not think on.

They were a sight, those machines. The gun-metal colours hulls may have been shaped like a spread flower, but there was nothing natural about them, nothing like Bajor, yet here it was. It traipsed over the land like it was coming home.

The sigil placed upon, however, was the same as any Bajoran government building.

He was something of an outsider, now, for Even as they claimed these Cardassians and their equipment for themselves, the priest felt that, somehow, Bajor had lost.

He thought that he could hear muffled clattering from the gates, like a person had gotten inside the humble sanctuary. He eyed the phaser pistol at his desk, but didn't approach it. There was no need to rush into action at a time like this.

He could hear panting in the corridor and as he peered out he saw the hooded figure come rushing towards him, a gloved hand shooting out as a voice whispered harshly “Gar! Gar!”

Gar Osen, shaken as he was by the violence outside, let the main without hesitation. The man came in and sagged against the wall. “You have to let me stay here.” He said as he pulled off his hood, revealing his smoothed back black hair and pale face. “They came for us. Time, she’s- she’s” He chocked off, grasping at the tapestries as if for dear life.

“Dead. I know.” The priest spoke gently, putting a hand on the distraught man’s shoulder. “I imagine most Cardassians of your faith are by now, or taken, anyway.” Benneck nodded. “We can’t keep you safe here. Bajorans have been ordered to report Oralians. I won’t do it, but someone else will.” Ben neck nodded again, a look of resolution dawning on his face.

He retrieved a box from the pocket of his robes and handed it to Gar. “It’s a relic. Please, watch over it.” Looking at Gar’s face, the Cardassian gripped his forearms. “ _Please,_ Gar.” Even as the sounds of heavy footsteps through the corridor, but neither of them paid any mind to it. Gar could only nod and stuff the box within the pockets of his own robes as his own door burst open and his old friend was pulled away from him.

When the sounds of Benneck being dragged down the corridor had died down, Gar once again turned his attention to the widow.

Outside the fire raged as hot as ever. With a quick turn of his wrist, he was able to ignore the heat once again.

* * *

 

Bashir kept his head down as he read one of Garak’s many recommendations, careful not to attract the attention of the others in the shuttle. Unfortunately for him, Odo’s careful gaze was almost faultless.

“Do you really think you’re being subtle, Doctor?”

Julian looked up, abashed. “I don’t know what you mean, Odo.”

Odo gave him one of signature piercing looks, looking towards the other passengers, Lieutenant Kira and O’Brian. “You should be careful, that’s all we’re saying.” O’Brian warned, gesturing to the PADD.

“He’s being nice to you for a reason.” Kira clarified further, earning a huff from the young doctor.

“Really. I suppose you all think that I can’t look after myself-no, we’d better give young Julian a talk about not trusting those Cardassians. Please, spare me the lecture.” Julian turned further away from them, rolling his eyes.

“It’s not a lecture.” Kira said, her face firm and resolute, like she was explain this to a stubborn child. “It’s some advice, but by all means, go ahead. We’re not here to fix your mistakes.”

“Then don’t,” Bashir muttered, tuning back to the text. O’Brain couldn’t stop himself from shaking his head, but the monitor’s readings soon distracted him.

O’Brian pointed towards the screen. “Look.” Kira followed the engineer’s gaze, eyes widening as the sky seemed to open up. “It’s a second wormhole!” O'Brian shouted, the shock from seeing the anomaly stalling him for a moment.

“Lieutenant Kira, perhaps we should turn-“ Before Odo could even finish his sentence, the wormhole began to pull them in.

* * *

_A thin hand shot out at him from the dark. No, not him, he realised too late, but the small bundle wrapped in his arms. “Not him.” He tried to shout it, but the words came out like a whisper that echoed along walls he couldn't see. “Not my son. Not him, too.”_

_The hand would not listen and neither would the ones that came to join it, pulling at his screaming infant like Terran vultures until he was helplessly trying to grasp at the boy’s flailing hands, but it was no use. A scream, a shot in the dark and the sickening thud of a still warm body hitting the_ _floor._

His son, with his mother’s deep brown eyes and shining black hair was the last thing he saw in his min’s eye as Dukat shot up from a Federation bed. Panic still gripping him, he looked around, but soon the fear subsided into shame at his own weakness.

“Father?” A soft timid voice made him look over to see that same little boy, now nearly eleven. Guilt squeezed Dukat’s chest as he saw that his youngest son, Makor, was wringing his shirt in his hands, frightened and fidgety.

Dukat made a great show of smiling wide and brushing his hair back with his hands. “I was just dreaming about your birthday celebrations. Thanks to Dax it looks set to bankrupt the whole station, never mind your poor father.” The boy’s eyes lit up ta the sound of that, coming closer towards the bed.

“Am I really having a party?” Dukat nodded and the boy smiled wider than his father had seen him do in a long time, wide enough to almost make him forget about the scars on his boy’s ear. Without thinking about it, his hand made its way over to brush his son’s hair over the ear, shielding it from view, but his chest constricted again with that all too familiar feeling and he brushed it back again. “Will you be there?"

“I’ll be there.” Dukat confirmend, though mostly to himself. “The question is: will you and the others be on time for school if we don't start getting ready?” The boy groaned, but Dukat held firm. He might not like how the children were all crammed into one classroom, but Keko’s careful patience was better than leaving them to their own devices to learn by themselves and it was certainly better to what had come before that.

He stood the boy to the next room, where his brothers and sisters lay in their own beds, telling him to ready the table for him. When the boy was gone, Dukat let himself relax again, feeling the dark thoughts swirl around in his head and settle there. There was a time when those thoughts drove him but now, in this new era of peace, he had to hold them back, keep them hidden from view, at least from the eyes of the more innocent parties on the station. He would have to remember to style his own hair to cover his ear when that party of dignitaries came to visit next week.

Breakfast was an uneventful affair, for once. Seven children could be quite a handful alone, even with the older ones starting to fend for themselves. Still, he supposed, pretty soon they would be all grown to adulthood and living their own lives and then here he’d still be, so why not enjoy it while it lasts?

Tolaa, his eldest girl, had apparently a newfound interest in wearing her makeup in the traditional style, no doubt influenced by the new Cardassian boy who had come with his father to open a shop. DUkat tired to remember his name. Memum? Lodinr? Whoever he was, he was getting a visit from security soon. He would have to ask Odo about it when he came back from that shuttle trip scheduled for today.

The morning went even better when they actually all managed to get to the school on time, Keiko greeting them all with a wave.

She ushered them in along with all the other Cardassian children and Dukat found it within himself to feel sorry for the poor woman. Keiko smiled and waved, saying "Good morning" to him as he walked past.

Dukat smiled and returned the friendly gesture. "It's the best morning I've had in a while."

It all had to fall apart, of course. He saw the beginnings of a great day fall apart at the seams when he passed a crowd gathering at the widows of the promenade. If this didn't have something to do with that wormhole he’d bet every penny he had on Quark’s dabo table. Pushing his way through the crowd, Dukat looked into the vast area of space the window let the onlookers see.

Dukat couldn't quite believe his eyes when he saw the second wormhole open. Experts said that the first one had to be a fluke, that it would surely not mean that another would open again permanently. Yet, open it did. The vast vacuum of space seemed to rip apart for a few seconds for a second time and steal the breath from his lungs.

He saw Garak watch the spectacle. His face was visibly paler and more drawn than usual, and even when he out his hand on the other Cardassian's arm the man would not look away. “My Julian was on that shuttle, he’s disappeared into the wormhole.”

“What?” Dukat asked, staring at the rip in space and Garak’s face respectively.

Garak seemed so lost there, staring out with seemingly no ability to stop. “The wormhole sucked in a shuttle that my Julian was on.” Dukat looked down at Garak's hands to see that he was still crying a tool he used to cut fabric and realised that he had probably only popped out of the shop to see what the commotion was about.

“He’ll be fine.” Even Dukat recognised that his words were hollow. “Come to the bridge with me.”

As he reached for the comm badge he saw something else, something incredibly small but still visible from the Promenade.

A shuttle. It shot out the hole in space like one of the voles that infested the station and stuttered until it came to a stop.

“Dukat.” Dukat tapped his badge.

“Yes, Captain.”

“Come to the bridge.” Dukat stayed there for a moment, as others came to watch this second wormhole close up, leaving the small ship behind.


	2. Friend or Foe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the part I've been looking froward to :)

The shuttle was asking for permission to board when Dukat and Garak arrived on the bridge.

Sisko looked at the civilian on his bridge, but chose not to comment. “Communications with the shuttle are down.” He said instead. “Jadzia, can we beam any survivors on board?”

“Yes, Sir. All parties appear to be stable and security teams are at the ready.” Jadzia had her hands on the controls, ready to go ahead. She paused over the console.

“Commander Dax, is there a problem?” Sisko asked.

“Sir, there are- from what I can see- four life signs, not three. Ode’s, O’Brian’s, Julian’s and a Bajoran.”Everyone in the room took a moment to eye the shuttle outside.

“What is a Bajoran doing on a Federation shuttle? Is there any chance they beamed on?” Jadzia shook her head.

Dukat left Garak at the entrance and came up to stand behind Sisko. “Sir, we shouldn't let them come aboard if we think they may be the hostages of a Bajoran. They could have disabled communications themselves.,” Dukat whispered, looking back to make sure that Garak couldn't hear him and seeing that the tailor was far too distracted by the screen.

Sisko shook his head, but didn’t turn around. “Beam them aboard. Onto the security station, behind a forcefield.” Garak looked towards Sisko, his eye ridge realised in confusion. “We don’t know if these are our people, Garak.” Garak shifted uncomfortably at Sisko’s words, but Dukat walked towards him and kept a hand firmly on his shoulder.

 

* * *

 

 

Dukat saw that Jadzia had possessed the sense to beam each life form into a separate cell behind a forcefield. The first one Dukat recognised was O’Brian, his stout frame and curly hair, the next was Odo with his unique, waxy skin. Finally another shape took the form of the young doctor.

“Julian!” Garak pulled himself from Dukat’s hold and rushed towards the young man, heedless of the security forces seeking to stop him, only prevented by Dukat’s quick and dismissive wave. The doctor himself seemed oddly taken aback by Garak’s outburst, but then again, he might not be used to him within a year.

The forcefield was disabled, allowing Julian to come out. Dukat again noticed the shock that seemed to take hold of the doctor when Garak held onto his arms in as intimate embrace as a Cardassian could have in public, but he seemed to relax just as quickly. Dukat felt free to heave a sigh of relief when he saw the final figure.

The red hair stuck out to him first, like rust on an old weapon. It shone like the glinting jewellery on her right hear and the com badge she wore. She wore a red jump-suit, not the usual Bajoran army attire he was used to seeing, but it was unmistakably a Bajoran.

He hoped she was thankful for that forcefield surrounding them as the first involuntary shot came from a Cardassian security guard.

Dukat snapped his head the direction of the shot. “Get out!” He didn’t have time for anyone making mistake right now and events sight of a well-trained officer backing out stiffly couldn't persuade him to soften his harsh tone.

Sisko was a professional and a diplomat, unhindered by the chaos around him. “What’s you name and rank?”

“What? You know me. I’m Lieutenant Kira Nerys. What’s going on here?” Her cheeks were reddening in anger and Dukat could see that she was brave enough to come right up to the forcefield to stare at them in confusion.

”Lieutenant Kira, what are you doing here?” Sisko, calm and reasonable as ever, walked towards the group with effortless self control, at least so it seems to Dukat, who walked to Garak and carefully pulled him away form the doctor.

Garak seemed tempted to protest, but after looking at Bashir seemed oddly willing to be led away.

The other bride officers were stiff, some of them unable to comprehend who they had in their midst. The Federation officers recovered from shock first, and they were the ones who found it easiest to stand down. The Cardassians stood firm, weapons trained to stun, at least Dukat make himself hope they had set it to stun.

The little group of remaining officers were hunched over, still recovering from the shot directed at the lieutenant, crouching low instinctively. Something about the way Odo curved his own form to look at Kira made him want to be sick. If he didn't know the constable he might have thought he was _concerned_ for her.

Kira seemed to start at Sisko’s question and shot back. “I’m your first officer, why else? What’s the meaning of this?” Her eyes shifted to Dukat with a look that shot right through him. “What is _he_ doing here?”

“ _He_ is my second in command. I don’t know what game you think you're playing but I will not let you show a complete lack of respect to my firs officer, so why don’t you answer my question: what are you doing here?”

“Like I said, I work here. What is going on?” Sisko turned around, collecting himself if Dukat had to guess.

“Can you see any weapons on her?” Jadzia shook her head. “Then it seems that we can proceed. If anyone fires on her again, or anyone else, they will be charged with insubordination and tried in a Federation court. Escort everyone else from their cells and keep her here until she tells me what I need to know.”

“You can’t do that!” It was rare to see Odo display that much anger, but it only seemed to fuel the heightening hysteria in the suddenly claustrophobic security holding cells.

A Cardassian threw down his weapon in his own anger. “I won’t take orders from an apologist!”

“The next person who speaks in that tone gets put in another holding cell!” Dukat barked, though it did nothing to restore the shattered sense of calm there had been this morning. As this was happening Garak was whispering in his ear.

“That’s not him.” Garak hissed. “That’s not my Julian.”

“You’re imagining things- it’s the stress of the moment.” He couldn't rely on the advice of someone that traumatised by the kind of things he knew Garak had been through was to say what was real and what wasn’t when that same evil was standing in front of them.

“No! No!” Dukat felt the man tug on his arm. “I know him!”

“Take Garak to sickbay.” Dukat didn’t know if this was going to lead to a panic attack, but he definitely didn't want Garak in security if it happened. He felt rather than saw two fellow Caradssians pull and lead the tailor towards the elevator. He was too focused on the group that had not been freed from the force field. Sisko seemed tone trying to calm down the bewilderingly angry colleagues they’d been crowing close to for the past year.

Odo seemed ready to pull Kira to safety the second he was released, while O’Brian had his arms braced at his sides for a fight.

Bashir was flanked by a guard at either side of him, glancing between the human and Cardassian like they had grown two heads.

“Why don’t you spend some time with a patient in need instead of defending a possible war criminal?” It was said in his usual friendly way, but with clear bite behind it that sent Bashirs’s eyes searching for the patient in need. “Garak, doctor. In sickbay.” Julian nodded and made to leave, but Sisko stopped him with a hand to his chest.

“I think we might have these three stay right here, Gul Dukat. I think these might not be the people we saw disappear into the wormhole.”

Well, perhaps he should have actually listened to his ex-informant.

 

* * *

 

 

It took some persuading for Dukat to order his men and women from the room in order for the strangers to explain themselves without interruption, but once they began their tale of how they came to be here, and who they were back home, both Sisko and Dukat began to lose their open suspicion.

Sisko gave Kira a searching look. “So, you’re the other Sisko’s second in command.”

Kira nodded.

“You’re a little young, aren’t you? Most Bajoran lieutenants I've met have been closer to being middle aged. To be a lieutenant at your age, you must have done some incredible things.” Kira huffed.

“I was a major member of the Bajoran resistance.” Sisko nodded in turn, seeming satisfied, but Dukat bristled at her words.

“You keep saying Bajoran resistance, but to what exactly? Are you trying to tell me that the Bajorans are the victims of invasion in your universe?” Kira snarled at the Cardassian with unbridled hatred.

“Maybe you weren't listening. That’s exactly what I’m trying to say you-“

“Well what do you know, both my first officers already have a lot in common. Dukat here was a prominent member of the resistance movement that eventually freed Cardsssia from Bajor. In fact, he came fully recommended by the newly instated Cardassian Republic. You two would like each other, I imagine.” Both Kira and Dukat laughed with a touch of genuine humour, but soon found themselves scowling at the other again once the moment had passed.

Julian seemed to be the most fidgety of all of them, looking at the door every few minutes. “Is this going to take much longer, or can I leave to see to Garak?”

“Garak will be fine, for now. We’ve dealt with this before and I doubt he'd be helped by someone who isn’t the man he’s known for over a year.” Dukat replied firmly, but Sisko put his hand up to stop him.

“Wait just a minute. So, you’re a doctor in Starfleet. In fact, you’re our chief medical officer?” Julian nodded. “Then I don’t see the point in wasting the resources, especially when ours is currently missing. I’ll make you a deal: you can go, under guard, to the sickbay and see to Garak, but if anything goes wrong all of you will be back here and will stay here until we figure this mess out. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.” Julian said, letting himself be led away by a reluctant Dukat, who tossed him out with a few terse words to the guards outside.

“What about you three? Any objections to returning to duties, even if they aren’t technically yours?” When no one replied Sisko leaned back in his chair. “Go on then, same rules apply to all of you and I’ll b expecting a progress report.”

Once they had all left, Dukat rounded on Sisko. “What are you thinking? They could be anyone! They seemed to hold more loyalty to that Bajoran than to anyone else-“

“She is technically their highest ranking officer, given that their version of Benjamin Sisko is currently in their own universe, probably giving our officers the same privileges and that is exactly what they are: privileges. I can take it away at any time, on a whim, even. So, how about you stop complaining and have someone keep an eye on them at all times?” Dukat huffed, but had no witty comeback to Sisko, as always.

“Where is that Bajoran, Kira or whatever her name was, even going to go? She isn’t going near my console, that’s for sure!” Sisko raised an eyebrow at Dukat’s looks of control, but Dukat would not be embarrassed into compliance.

“If I know our Odo, he would no doubt put an officer in hostile territory out of harms way as much as possible, meaning that Kira will likely be near him at all times, regardless of what happens. He won’t want to leave his office in case it endangers her, but he might ask that she stays there if he does have to leave.” Sisko walked towards the exit. “I’ll be in my office, if you have anything else to say.”

With that, he left the still fuming Dukat.

 

* * *

 

 

Garak had little to do but make snippy comments at the doctors and nurses in sickbay until he could be given the all clear. “If you could just stop prodding me I could be on my way.” He snapped at a human nurse, who was sent hurrying off to keep an eye on a less volatile patient.

In truth, Garak would have to say that he was getting sick at this happening every time he showed any stress at a situation. He supposed he could understand Dukat’s concern, after all, he was there for the worst of it, when Garak was at his least stable and a panic attack could be triggered by even the most mundane thing. The sound of running water, a narrow corridor, or even the smell of meat gone off could force him into a state he couldn't control and wasn't that the worst part?

Now, he just wanted to go back to his shop, or even his apartment to try and forget the fact that the Bashir on his station was not his own.

Taking advantage of his momentary abandonment at the hands of the nurse, Garak slipped off the bed and quietly put his civilian clothes back on, leaving the sickbay garb folded on the bed. As badly as he wanted to toss it on the floor, it wouldn't exactly corroborate his claims of being entirely in control of himself.

Then, the voice he least wanted to hear came from the entrance oft sickbay. “What do you mean no one’s with Mr. Garak? How exactly do you plan to treat a patient when you wont be in the same room with him long enough to do so?” The sound of footsteps grew louder and soon Bshir stormed into his own private part of sickbay, looking towards both him and the bed. “Put the gown back on and lay down on the bed until I know I can let you go.”

“I don’t think so, doctor. I don’t know what it’s like in your universe, but in mine a perfectly well man like myself can refuse treatment. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Garak tried to sidestep the doctor, but the young man met his own movements in a way that Garak might have mistaken for flirtatious under different circumstances.

“Garak, I don’t know what your Doctor Bashir is like, but I like to know that the people that leave my sickbay are ready to leave, so if you don't mind.” The look that dawned on Bashir’s face at leas gave some indication that he realised he’s said the wrong thing.

Garak leant in closer until he and the doctor were face to face. “My Doctor Julian Bashir is none of your concern, doctor. In fact, why don't we both agree that he should stay out of any conversation we might be forced to have in the future?” seeming taken aback, Julian nodded, but still stood in front of the Cardassian, unafraid of his snarling, even as the two guards shifted to intervene.

“I’m sorry if what I said offended you in some way.” Julian offered, softening his tone. “However, I don’t want you to leave here without treatment. The last time I let my own Garak refused treatment, the implant in his brain nearly killed him."

Garak’s own expression softened as he recalled his own experiences with th implant. “Yes, that was a damn nuisance. Everyone was quite angry with me for that.” He remembered the humans especially had been keen on getting him to see a councillor, but he had steadfastly refused. Telling his own deepest darkest secrets after so long keeping everything a secret would reek too much of betrayal. “Still, it did help, for a while, at least.” Julian put a hand on his shoulder and Garak felt his own face darkening.

He couldn't be sure, but this Julian seemed either very forward, or very naive.

“Please, let me help.” Garak finally sighed, but acquiesced, knowing that it would get it over quicker in the long run. Everyone else left the room so that he could put the hated gown on again and politely ignored his sour look.

“So, what seems to be the problem, Mr. Garak?” Julian asked once he entered again. The guards were outside, but listening in for any sign of trouble.

“That’s the annoying thing, doctor. There doesn’t seem to be any problem at all. I was just telling Garak what seemed obvious to me, that you were not the Julian that I knew, and he took it as a sign of an oncoming panic attack.” Julian gave him a concerned look that made his chest tighten uncomfortably.

“A panic attack? How many of these panic attacks do you have that he could so easily identify one?” Garak then cupped his face in his hands and sighed.

“That’s it, doctor! I never was having anything close to a panic attack! Dukat just took it upon himself to assume that me being in a stressful situation would naturally lead to one, when I haven’t had one in months. Anyone on this station could tell you that I am as capable in a high stakes situation as any other person oaths station.”

“I never said you weren’t.” Julian said quietly, adding “and I’m sure Dukat doesn't think you’re any less capable, either.”

“I won's sit here and be looked at that way.” Garak put his hands down and turned away turned away, but the doctor walked around the bed to look him in the eye again.

“What way?” Garak rolled his eyes.

“With that look of Starfleet sympathy. It was grating when you all first arrived on the station and it’s still grating now, so can i go, or not?”

Julian seemed to think for a minute, bu shrugged. “I suppose I can’t stop you, as you say, but I don’t feel right about just leaving you on your own. It’s true that I’ve only just met this version of you and your version of Dukat seems to have known you much longer. If he seems to think that you’re out of sorts in any way, then his opinion is much more reliable than mine. I could ask someone to help you to your quarters so you could sleep it off?” Julian offered.

“If it gets me out of here any faster, yo should call either Dujan, or Tolaa. Their Dukat’s eldest son and daughter. They like to help out Keiko with the school, but considering that the gossip about what’s happened has probably travelled there by now, the school has no doubt closed for the day and they will be in their quarters.”

“Thank you. Did you say Dukat’s eldest children?” Gran raised his eyebrow ridges in surprise.

“Don't tell me Dukat didn't have children in your universe?”

“We don’t know each other that well. He never said, but he didn’t seem like the type.” Julian seemed uncomfortable and Garak was never one to stop prying when it just got interesting.

“Well, let me tell you that this universe’s Dukat can, if nothing else, produce offspring at an alarming rate, even by my species standards. Family may be ‘all’ on Cardassia, but having one child right after the other, pretty much year after year seven times over, during the occupation, no less. It’s actually quite scandalous!” Garak held his hand to his chest in mock outrage. It made Julian smile and Garak once again felt his chest constrict painfully at the sight.

“Do they look much like their father?”

“Thankfully for most one them, only Liton got cursed with both his father’s looks and personality. His twin, Maged, now he is much better equipped for life in this era of peace, so called peace, anyway.” Julian seemed fully relaxed, asking the nurses outside to contact Dukat’s children to pick Grak up.

Resigned to the short wait, Garak leaned back and imagined a few tall tales he could make up about Dukat’s large brood that might entertain him before they arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really wanted some interaction between Julian and Garak! When I watched DS9 I lived for it like breathing. I also really wanted to lay the groundwork for some Kira and Dukat interactions for the next chapter, as well as more about what the occupation of Cardssia was like for people in this universe.
> 
> I plan for it to be different from the Bajoran occupation in a few ways. I also plan to show how the characters in this universe are very different. Dukat and Garak, especially,not to mention Cardassia itself. The next chapter is currently in the works.
> 
> Hope this was good! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I'm not sure where to go from this idea, so I hope you all like it so far. :)


End file.
